Apparatus for the control of highway-crossing signals



March 24, 1931. H. c. VANTAS-SEL APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNALS Filed March 24, 1930 INVENTOR! H. C l ant qs l,

flan-02f UNITE Patented Mar. 24, 1931 HARBYTC, vAnTAssEL, or PITTSBURGH, rn-nNsY vAnIA,'AssreiionroTHE UNION 'swrrcna SIGNAL COMPANY, or swrssvnnn, PENNSYLVANIA, A coaronn'rron or PEN SYLVANIA APrARArUs FORVTI-IE CONTROL on HiGI-iwAY-cnossine SIGNALS Application filed March 24, 1930. "Serial No. 438,314.

invention relates'to apparatus forvthe control of highway crossing signals, and has for an object the provision of novel and improved controlling apparatus eliminating the necessity for insulated joints in the track rails. V

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then'point out the novel features thereof in clalms.

1o The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic View showingone form of apparatus embodying my invention;

I Referring to the drawing, the, reference characters 1 and l odesignate the track rails of a railway track which is intersected by a "2b tolthe left of the highway H, aretwo trans formers G9 and G and located between the rails at the highway H is a third transformer V G Each of these-transformers comprises a Inagnetizable core made up of two U-shaped members 2'aii'd 3, which members carry a primary winding 4, and a secondary winding 5, respectively. Each primary winding 4 is const antly supplied with alternating current from a suitable source,the terminals ofwhich are designated B andO. The parts of each transformer are so proportioned that in the absence of a car or train at given voltage is induced in the secondary 5,but,that when the track immediately adjacent the transformer is occupied I p by a car or train, the wheels and axles and the trucks shunts'ome of the primary flux from the secondary, so that the voltage induced,

in the secondary is materially reduced. One form of ttransforinergwhich may be used in systems embodying my invention, is disclosed. V and claimed in application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed by P, NbBossari on April 9, 1930, Serial No. 442,991.

The secondary5 of transformer G is di; rectly connected with the winding of a relay C, and the secondary of transformer ,G us

directly connected with the winding, of a relay ;;Thefse'condary of transformer G is'c'onnected with the-winding of a relay 'D through a front contact 8 of this relay, so

that this circuit constitutes a stick circuit. This circuit is from the upper terminal of thesecondary of G through cont-act 8, and the winding of relay D to the lower terminal of the secondary" ofG Associated with the relay D is a thermostat F comprising a p heating winding 15 and a normally open con- 'tact 16. Winding 15 of this thermostat is provided with a circuit which passes from the upper terminal of the secondary of trans former G through winding 1 5,bafck' contact 9, of relay D,'and front contact 6 of relay C to the lower terminal of the secondary. Re-

lay. D is provided witha pick-up circuit which-passes from the upper terminal of the secondary of G through, contact 16,

and the winding of relay D to the lower'tcn minal'of the secondary'of G Thermostat F is so proportioned that the time required for its contact 16 to close after-{winding 15 .be-

to i

comes; energized, isygreater than the mini; I

mum time consumedby a train passing from transformer G to transformer G I Thesignal S iscontrolledby a relay" K.

This relay is provided with a stick circuit 4 WVlllCl'l passes-from terminal B, through contact '5 of relay C, contact 11 of relay K and the winding of this relay 'to terminal O. This stick circuit isproVided with 'a shunt-around Contact? of relay C,' whicl1shunt "includes aback contact 10 ofrelay D. Relay: K is provided with'a pick-up circuit; which in; cludes' a back contact 13 of relay E. The

signal S is providedwith an operating circuit which i'ncludes'back contact12of relay K.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows 5 When a train moving toward the right passes 'over transformer G it will momentarily reduce the voltage appliedto relay C 5 v to asulficient amountto 'cause this relay to momentarily open. The opening of front contact 7jwillopen the stick circuit for relay K, so that the latter'relaywill open and will remain open. The closing of back contact 12. of relay-K will set thesignal S into: operation; VVhenthe; train passes over transformer G it will open relay D, but theolosing ofback contact 10 of this relay will havenoeffe'ct onthe signal,-because thiscontact is includedin at stick circuit for an K and 9 r the stick circuit is already open at contact 11. The opening of relay D will close the circuit for thermostat winding 15 at back contact 9, so that after a given interval of time the pick-up circuit for relay D will be come closed at thermostat contact 16, whereupon the circuit for the thermostat winding will become opened at back contact 9 of relay D, itwill momentarily open relay E, and the back contact 13 of this relay will close the pick-up circuit for relay K, whereupon the stick circuit for this relay will become closed and the operation of the signal S will stop.

lVhen a train moving toward the left passes over transformer G it will, of course, have no effect on relay K. When this train passes over transformer G it will open relay D, thereby closing back contact 10. The train will pass over transformer G before relay D again closes, and since back contact- 10 of relay D is st'il closed, the momentary opening of contact 7 of relay C will have no effect on relay K, and so it follows that a train movin toward the leftwill not cause signal S to operate.

It is, of course understood that the apparatus shown in the drawingwill be duplicated to provide for the operation of signal S when a train moving toward the left approaches the highway H, but the duplicate apparatus for accomplishing this result is omitted from the drawing in order to simplify the disclosure.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood thatvarious changes. and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway track intersected by ahighway, three normally closed relays C, D and E, means controlled by a train moving along said track for successively opening relays C and D in the order named as it approaches said highway and for opening relay E as it crosses the highway, means for delaying the reclosing of relay D but not of relays G and E,'a signal relay K, a stick circuit for relay K including a front contact of relay C and a back contact of relay D in multiple as well as a front contact of relay K, a pick-up circuit for relay K including a back contact of relay E, and a highway crossing signal controlled by relay K and set into operation when the relay is open. v

v 2. In combination, a railway track intersected by a highway, three normally closed relays C, D and E, means controlled by a train moving along said track for successively opening relays O and D n the order When the train passes transformer G named as it approaches said highway and for opening relay E as it crosses the highway, means for delaying the reclosing of relay D for at least the time required for a train moving at minimum speed to traverse the dis tance between the points at which it influences relays D and C, a highway crossing signal, means responsive to momentary opening of relay C for setting said signal into operation, means for preventing momentary opening of relay C from setting said signal into operation if relay D is open at the time, and means responsive to momentary opening of relay E for stopping the operation of said signal.

In combination, a railway track intersected by a l1ighway,-two normally closed relays C and D, means for opening said relays in the order named when a train approaches said highway and in the reverse order when a train is receding from the highway, means for delaying the reclosing of relay D for at least the time required for a train moving at minimum speed to traverse the "distance between the points at which it influences relays D and C, a highway crossing signal, means responsive to momentary opening of relay C for settin said signal into operation, means for preventing momentary opening of relay C from setting said signal into operation if relay Dis open at the time, andmeans for stopping the operationof said signal when a train which'hasset it into operation crosses said highway. 1 e

4. In combination, a railway track intersected by a highway, three transformers G G and G located in the trackway-in such positions that a train moving in one direction influences transformers G and G in the order named as it approaches the highway and transformer G as it crosses the highway, a source of current constantly connected with the primary of each transformer and the influence of a passing train being to materially reduce the output voltage of the secondary, a relay C connected with the secondary of transformer G, a relay E connected with the secondary of transformer G a relay D connected with the secondary of transformer G through a front contact of relay D, a thermostat having a winding and a normally open contact, a circuit for said thermostat winding including the secondary ingisignal Controlled by relay K and setinto operation when therelay is open. I I t 5. 'Incombination, a railway track intersected by a highway, three transformers G a source of current constantly connected with theprimary of each transformer and the influence of a passing train being to materially reduce the output voltage of the secondary, a relay C connected with the secondary of transformer G9, a relay E connected with the secondary of transformer G a relay, D connected with the secondary of transformer G through a front contact of relay D, a thermostat having a windingv and.

a normally open contact, a circuit'for said thermostat winding including the secondary of transformer G and a back contact of relay D as Well as a front contact of relay C, a pickup circuit for relay D including the secondary of transformer G and the contact of said thermostat, a highway crossing signal, means responsive to momentary opening of relay C for setting said signal into-operation, means; 7 7 for'preventing momentary opening of relay 7 C from setting said signal into operation if relay D is open at the time, and means responsiveto momentary opening of relay E fortstopping the operation of said signal.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature.

HARRY G. VANTASSEL. 

